****Smart Approach to God

        Let's face it, God will have the last say on anything. So you might as well start listening to and obeying him. This is smart thinking. But more properly, you should see that God is your most loving Father and that for his sake you should submit yourself to him to receive all his love. Now, you are being super smart.

*****Harnessing the Power of the Holy Spirit

         Thought about the Holy Spirit this morning while walking outside. The Holy Spirit is most powerful, yet most gentle. You can easily shut him out, for God respects your free will. But if you open up to become completely receptive to him, he will totally overwhelm you to make you most powerful. This makes living for God truly exciting! 

***Bishops Get Slammed

         Another courageous priest speaking up against the bishops. Decades ago, I was in a different parish then. When the idea that we should recognize gay marriage first came up, the parish priest was brave enough to put an ad in the local newspaper along with the signatures of many parishioners who supported him, announcing that marriage is intended by God for uniting a man and a woman only. With no strong support coming from the higher hierarchy, the effort fizzled out  quickly. The same pretty much happened to the charismatic movement within the Church. It did not get the support it deserved and gradually died down. I believe that my many bishops have already made up their mind on many issues and become closed to the Holy Spirit. Hope that I am wrong.

***Forgiving Others a Must

         Today's Gospel reading comes from Matthew 18. Peter asked Jesus how often he must forgive his brother who sinned against him. Jesus then told him the parable of the unforgiving servant (vv, 23-35). The lesson is clear: We must forgive others as the Lord forgives us. No way out. Whether we succeed or not, we must try our best. But if you surrender yourself to God, it becomes a cinch.

**Eternal Life, a Must Consideration

        Today I heard someone say "She's got a whole life ahead of her," referring to some young woman. Of course, the speaker was thinking about life on this earth only, so the statement didn't mean much. It becomes significant when we understand life to mean our whole existence, including the part after death. So eternal life is not to be ignored, making believing in Christ a must.

*Pride Our Big Stumbling Block

         It is so very clear that what we do shapes what God does to us. That we reap what we sow and that we have a conscience prove beyond a doubt that God is real. If we believe in and obey him, we'll have peace and prosperity. And if we ignore him, we'll be punished in this and/or the next life. It's so simple and clear, but our pride prevents us from seeing or accepting the truth.

***Our True Destination

        As sinners, we need to return to God, our Father and creator, as lost sons and daughters to reconcile ourselves to him. Whether the last days are approaching or not, we need to live Christ, think Christ, breathe Christ, and even consume his body and blood. This is how we can be purged of our sins, made clean, and have eternal life to inherit all that the Father has for us.

**Not Following Any Trend

        The more I hear about prestigious, high-powered people who have earned great recognition and mass admiration in some secular field, the more I see that only whether we get to heaven or not matters. I don't follow any trend and care only about what God thinks of me. Take God seriously and you take care of everything.

***God's Power & Wisdom Ours for the Asking

        In today's second reading from 1 Corinthians 1, Paul wrote that to those who are called, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For us who have access to the Lord, we can receive all his power and all his wisdom. Absolutely fantastic! We'll be able to overcome evil and know how to live a holy life. Remember that nothing is impossible for God. When it comes to getting ourselves transformed, it's right up his alley. After all, he created us.

*If You Are Suffering . . .

read what Peter wrote in 1 Peter: The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. God saves the best for last for all of us who love him.